1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of restaurant kitchen equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pizza peel having an elongate handle with a blade rotation grip mechanism at the handle proximal end, a rotatably mounted pie scooping blade on a blade rotation assembly at the scooping blade distal end, and a blade rotation pull cable extending from the blade rotation grip mechanism to the blade rotation assembly. To periodically rotate pizza pies in a deck oven, the pizza chef holds the pizza peel at the handle proximal end and slides the blade underneath a pizza pie resting on a cooking surface. The user lifts the blade and pie, operates the rotation grip mechanism to rotate the blade and pie a preset number of degrees, preferably a quarter turn, then lowers the blade to rest on the cooking surface and slides the blade from underneath the pie, leaving the pie in a new, rotated position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pizza pies cooked in deck ovens need to be turned periodically so that the pies cook evenly. There have long been pizza peels for sliding underneath, lifting and repositioning pizza pies in ovens. These pizza peels typically have consisted of a thin metal plate mounted to an end of a handle. Lifting and moving pizza pies around with prior art peels is often a cumbersome task because pizza pies not fully cooked are fragile, and such moving frequently results in substantial damage and loss of product.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a pizza peel which includes a handle and a pizza pie support blade rotabably mounted to the handle and remote means for rotating the blade relative to the handle, so that the blade and pizza pie rotate without substantial translational movement.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a pizza peel which has a profile virtually as low as that of a conventional pizza peel.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a pizza peel which is ambidextrous, that is, which is just as easily operated with a user left as with the user right hand.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a pizza peel which is light weight, durable, reliable, simple in design and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A pizza peel is provided, including an elongate handle having a handle proximal end and a scooping blade distal end; a pie scooping blade rotatably mounted at the scooping blade distal end; a blade rotation assembly at the scooping blade distal end; and a blade advancement mechanism at the handle proximal end operationally connected to the blade rotation assembly.
The blade advancement mechanism preferably is a blade rotation grip mechanism. The blade rotation grip mechanism preferably is operationally connected to the blade rotation assembly by a blade rotation pull cable having a cable proximal end and a cable distal end. The blade rotation assembly preferably includes a blade mounting flange connected to the scooping blade distal end; a blade axle secured to and protruding from the blade mounting flange, the blade being rotatably mounted on the axle; a cable pulley fitting around the axle and rotatable relative to the axle and affixed to the blade, the cable pulley having a cable receiving circumferential pulley channel; and a rotational return spring having a spring inward end secured to the pulley and having a spring outward end secured to the mounting flange; so that after the blade rotation grip mechanism is operated and causes the pulley and blade to rotate, the rotational return spring rotates the blade back to its original position upon release of the grip mechanism.
The handle proximal end preferably includes a wrist encircling wrist loop structure. The blade rotation grip mechanism preferably includes a grip member for gripping by a user hand, and a grip member guide structure connected to the handle in which the grip member is slidably mounted, the grip member being connected to the cable proximal end.
The blade rotation grip mechanism preferably includes a grip panel including a grip port opening laterally through the grip panel, the grip port having a port upper wall containing a substantially longitudinal upper grip channel and having a port lower wall containing a substantially longitudinal lower grip channel, the grip panel having a thumb grip surface; an upright grip bar within the grip port, having an upper grip bar end extending into the upper grip channel and having a lower grip bar end extending into the lower grip channel, so that the grip bar is slidable forwardly and rearwardly within the grip port in the upper and lower grip channels, the cable proximal end being connected to the grip bar and passing longitudinally along the handle to the blade pulley, the cable distal end being secured within the circumferential pulley channel. The grip bar upper and lower ends preferably each include a perpendicular slide segment which slides within the corresponding the grip channel, so that the grip bar is constrained to remain within the grip channels. The handle preferably is tubular, having a hollow handle interior, and the pull cable passes within the hollow handle interior.